Our Fitness Blog

How to Promote Weight Loss Before Bedtime

When we desire to live a healthier lifestyle, most of us start by trying to create a daily routine for ourselves to help us stay on schedule. I have a fairly strict routine each day. In the morning, I feed the kids, eat breakfast, and then get myself and the kids ready to leave for the gym. I meal prep every Sunday, so I know lunch is always ready to heat up from the refrigerator. The kids and I have gotten use to this schedule, but, of course, there are days that don’t go quite as smoothly as I just described. Recently, I have noticed that my routine isn’t as great during the evening. I find myself getting hungry more often and snacking on more foods than I would during the day. Now a lot of people may say, “That’s not so bad. At least you’re doing good during the day!” But the truth is, these little things can put a set back on your fitness goals. If you are serious about living a healthier lifestyle and getting into shape, it is important to stay on track during the day AND evening. Try including the following tips into your nightly routine, and your body could start to notice a difference the next morning!

Drink a lot of water.
I know, I mention this quite often in many of my blogs, but I can’t stress how important it is to drink water regularly. Water flushes your system, which helps you get rid of any water that your body is retaining. Of course you don’t want to chug water right before you hit the bed. That can interrupt your sleep by causing you to run to the bathroom multiple times in the middle of night. That’s why it is important to drink plenty of water throughout the entire day: morning, afternoon, and evening.

Snack on the right foods.
I have found myself craving unhealthy foods during the evening. Unfortunately, once I give into that temptation my body feels terrible the next morning, and I regret making that unhealthy decision. First of all, there is nothing wrong with feeling hungry a couple of hours after already having dinner. It’s what you decide to fuel your body with that matters. Having a light snack will help aid your weight loss by keeping your metabolism going and preventing you from waking up in the middle of the night craving a midnight snack.

Get enough sleep.
I’m sure many moms are thinking, “What is sleep??” I completely understand. With an almost three year old and an eight month old at home, I am lucky to get four hours of interrupted sleep. But I do make an effort. If the kids are napping at the same time, I try to get some sleep as well. Even 30 minutes can make a huge difference. If your little one still wakes up once or twice throughout the night, try to get in bed an hour or two earlier than you usually do. I have recently read in a few articles that excessive light can lead to interrupted sleep, so I try to get the bedroom as dark as possible.

Pack your food.
When you pack your lunch and snacks the night before (or even a week ahead), you are more likely to eat healthy the next day. Having your food ready the day before will prevent you from running to a fast food restaurant during your lunch break!

Pack your workout clothes.
Now that I am working from home this is no longer beneficial to me, but I used to always try and remember to pack my gym clothes every night before going to bed. It made my mornings easier, and it also gave me another reason to exercise that day. Since you are already packing your meal for the next day, go ahead and pack your workout gear! This way you don’t have an excuse not to get into the gym, whether it’s during your lunch or after work.